Oct. 8. By Justin Scruggs. Once I noticed the suspicious odor, I knew we had a problem.

As a Piedmont Natural Gas technician, I know our customers value safety and reliability. When I’m responding to homes and businesses to service our infrastructure, my focus
is always on safety. On this routine call, I approached the exterior meter for inspection when I noticed the distinct smell of rotten eggs – a clear sign of a natural gas leak.

Right away, I turned off the meter to stop the flow of natural gas to the home and ensure the safety of the area. After retreating to a safe location and calling in another trained
Piedmont technician, I waited for the natural gas to dissipate before investigating further.

Upon inspection of the home, I observed that contractors had taken out several appliances and failed to cap the fuel lines, which led to the release of natural gas into
the home, creating an unsafe environment.

Smell natural gas? Get out fast!

It’s my job to investigate potential natural gas leak calls at homes and businesses, and all too often, customers aren’t aware of the simple steps to help ensure their safety if they suspect a natural gas leak.

First, if you smell rotten eggs – get out fast. Call 911 and Piedmont at 1-800-752-7504 from a location far from the smell. We immediately respond to natural gas odorant calls,
and one of our trained technicians will assess or fix the situation. Natural gas by itself has no smell. An odorant called mercaptan is injected into natural gas, giving it the distinctive smell of rotten eggs to make natural gas easy to detect.

Natural gas leaks can also be identified by bubbling water, blowing dirt or dead plants. It’s also possible to hear a hissing sound near a natural gas line or meter.

Fire Prevention Month

Piedmont crews are committed to keeping our neighborhoods safe by responding to emergency situations with speed and precision. Our customers expect safe and reliable
natural gas service, and I take pride in ensuring community safety.

The most rewarding aspect is bringing reassurance to others, even during challenges like a natural gas leak. October is National Fire Prevention Month, and I encourage everyone to remember and react the next time you smell, see, or hear the signs of a natural gas leak. Just remember, “Smell natural gas, get out fast!”

This is not sponsored content. Scruggs is a service technician with Piedmont Natural Gas.